| 49 MEAT & WOOL » Kaiora Downs Kaiora’s burgeoning felted mat enterprise Felting needles at the Christchurch factory transform 15 layers of wool into a mat 10mm thick, ideal for exercising on. Sue Russell The past few years have had their ups and downs for the Schwass family, of Kaiora Downs, a beautifully tended 1400ha property not far from Culverden, North Canterbury. Today, Jane Schwass oversees the sheep, beef cattle breeding and dairy grazing farm, with daughter Elle Schwass, one of Jane and the late Mark Schwass’s four children, concentrating on the burgeoning felted mat enterprise. “We had the idea to make felted wool yoga mats and after having two bales of wool scoured, and nowhere to felt them we waited almost 12 months before we found a felter in Christchurch through a colleague of Jono,” Elle says. While the bulk of the wool clip is sent to commercial wool buyers about 50% is now transformed into wonderful yoga mats. Once shorn, the wool destined to become mats is sent for scouring to Timaru, then on to Christchurch to be dyed and felted before returning to Kaiora Downs to be edged and backed with natural latex to prevent slipping. The mat business is just part of a diversification happening on the farm, enabling a well-planned succession process to the next generation to quietly unfold. As well as the mats, visitors to the property can stay in farms cabins and enjoy horse-trekking, something Jane has a strong affinity with. Because the sheep are shorn every six months, it creates a wool clip ideal for felting. Felting needles at the Christchurch factory transform 15 layers of wool into a mat 10mm thick, ideal for exercising on. “We’ve been able to find the balance between hard-wearing and cushioning support for those using the mats. Now we’ve diversified beyond the mats to produce felted wool boot liners ideal for gumboots as well as pet mats, baby mats and seat cushions to name a few. Jono Schwass returned to the family farm early last year and is learning all there is to know from Stock Manager Josh Hickey. “It’s working out very well for us and it means Mum can oversee the whole farm business, leaving Jono and Josh to handle the day to day feeding, movement and caring for the stock.” Kaiora Downs is a lovely farm. A tireless commitment to beautify the property with trees, nurture and extend original pockets of native bush also provides animals with natural shelter and assists with stabilising marginal land. Its topography straddles flat, some of which is irrigated, rolling downs to steeper hills and gullies, making it an ideal farm for horse trekkers to enjoy. The farm also hosts horse endurance events. One of the things Elle says is really nice about the development of the felted products, available on line and at various outlets is that the felt is created through a very simple process, allowing all the wool’s natural benefits to be retained. “You can even smell the lanolin in the mats. I’m pleased to see sales improving week on week and there are other ideas hatching as to products we could make which is exciting.” And when a mat’s life as a mat has come to an end, they can be used for natural mulching in gardens, giving them a whole new purpose and benefit for owners. “I think we have a very bright future ahead for our felted products. There’s nothing better than wool as a wonder product bringing so many benefits and its great to see people in the wool industry, such as ourselves starting to think of enterprising ways we can add value to wool.” Proudly supporting Kaiora Downs For all your Rural Transport requirements! 56 St Leonards Road, Culverden (03) 315 3033 admin@amuritransport.co.nz Livestock - stock@amuritransport.co.nz Fertiliser - fert@amuritransport.co.nz Freight - freight@amuritransport.co.nz Bulk - bulk@amuritransport.co.nz - Livestock - Bulk Cartage - Fertiliser Spreading & Stores - Daily Freight Service - Quarry Amuri Transport Limited
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